Some Frippery

The thought of Nick Cave merrily humming along to Pink Floyd, Yes and ELP as a youngster sure made me chuckle. Can't remember him singing their praise when wreaking havoc with postpunk enfants terribles The Birthday Party... He confessed as much in a recent issue of his Red Hand Files though, while also heaping praise upon Robert Fripp's King Crimson, the prog band St. Nick names as a big influence on his own Grinderman project.

King Crimson - Starless
Grinderman - Super Heathen Child (feat. Robert Fripp)

Super Dream

While waiting for the new Bad Seeds album, which won't be long now, let's turn to one of Cave's old side projects. This Barry Adamson remix of one of my fave Grinderman songs (warning: rich imagery alert) always goes down a treat. Give it to me...

Grinderman - Palaces Of Montezuma (remix)

A Custard-Coloured Superdream

Psychedelic invocations of Mata Hari at the station anyone? A few exceptions notwithstanding, Nick Cave´s post Birthday Party stuff never really did it for me. And then, out of the blue, a track appears on his brand new album with Grinderman that really bowls me over. The stately Palaces Of Montezuma, complete with lazy Gimme Shelter shuffle and over the top imagery, is prime Saint Nick. "The spinal cord of JFK wrapped in Marilyn Monroe´s negligee I give to you..."

Grinderman - Palaces Of Montezuma MP3

"Yeah I recognize that girl, she stumbled in some time last loneliness..." As a bonus, here´s a dark old Birthday Party favorite of mine. "Yeah I recognize that girl, I took her from rags right through to stitches... oh baby, tonight we sleep in separate ditches..."

The Birthday Party - Deep In The Woods MP3